Last support



"J. c. TORCHIA LAST SUPPORT Filed Dec. 14, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,fiaxz.

awe/whom auuws 0 Torchwa Apr. 24, 1923. LQSKI J. c. TORCHIA LAST SUPPORT Filed Dec. 14, 1921 sheets-sheet? Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

' UNITED TES TENT OFFICE.

JULIUS C. 'IORGHIA, OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA.

LAST SUPPORT.

Application filed December 14, 1921.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JULrUs C. TOROHIA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hazleton, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Last Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in shoemakers last supports and has as its general object toprovide a support which will adapt the last to be positioned at any angle found most convenient by the workman.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a last support which, in one position of adjustment, will support the last with its working face presented in an upward direction and in a manner to permit of rotary adjustment of the last to any position found by the workman to be most convenient,

means being provided for securing the support for the last against displacement after it has been brought to the desired position of adjustment.

-Another object of the invention is to so mount the support for the last that the said support may be tilted so as to dispose the last in a position nearly at right angles to an upright position so that the sewing operation may be more conveniently and effectually performed.

Another object of the invention is to provide for rotary adjustment of the last support while the same maintains its tilted position so that with the last in this position it may be adjusted as desired by the workman.

.In general, theinvention contemplates the provision of means for firmly supporting a shoemakers last in a manner to permit of substantially universal adjustment of the last so that the same may be caused to assume any position which the workman finds best suited to the task to be performed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional view through the device, the same being shown in full lines in position to support the last upright and in dotted lines in position to support the last tilted.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the support adjusted to assume a tilted position.

Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating Serial No. 522,348.

the manner in which the support may be adjusted rotatably while in tilted position.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, looking in a downward direction.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the rotatable base section of the support, and

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

The supporting device embodying the invention may be mounted upon a work bench or upon a separate and distinct stand or, in fact, upon any supporting structure available for the purpose. In the drawings, the device is illustrated as mounted upon a stand which includes a top indicated in general by the numeral 1. In. order to accommodate the device, the top 1 of the stand or other support is formed with an opening, indicated by the numeral 2, and adjacent said opening with a smaller bolt opening indicated by the numeral 3. The device comprises a base section which is indicated in general by the numeral 1 and which comprises a body 5 preferably of circular 'form provided upon its otherwise fiat under face with a depending approximately frusto-conical boss 6, which is adapted to seat within the opening 2, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, when the last is to be supported in upright position, the body of the said base section projecting beyond the circumferential surface of the boss, as at resting firmly upon the upper side of the top 1 At one side the body 5 is provided with spaced outstanding ears 8 which receive between them an ear 9 which upstands from a plate 10 disposed upon the upper side of the top 1. A pivot pin 11 is fitted through alined openings formed in the ears 8 and 9 and serves to pivotally connect the base member 4 with the plate. The plate 10 is provided upon its under side with a downwardly projecting stud 12 which is fitted through the opening 3 and is rotatably adjustable in said opening. A washer 13 is fitted onto the stud 12 at its portion whichprojects below the top 1, and a nut 14 is threaded onto this portion of the stud and may be tightened to bear against the washer and bind the same, and the under face of the plate 10,- against the faces of the said top 1 for the purpose of securing the parts against rotation. By the means above described, the base member 4 is mounted upon the top 1 in a manner adapting it to seat within the opening 2 dr to be tilted upwardly to substantially the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, and in order that the movement of the base member to this latter position may be limited and the member firmly supported in such position, the ends of the ears 8 are preferably beveled or cut at an angle, as indicated by the numeral 15, so as to adapt them to abut against the upper side of the plate 10 when the base memher is in the upwardly tilted position shown in dotted lines in said Figure 2. In addition to the base member 4, the base of the device comprises a section indicated in general by the numeral 16 and this section comprises a substantially cylindrical body 17 adapted to be rotatably fitted in the opening 18 formed centrally in the section 4.. The wall of the opening 18 is provided with a circumferential channel 19 defining upper and lower circumferential bearing surfaces 20 and 21 which afford the desired bearing for the body 17 of the member 16 and yet do not offer any considerable frictional resistance to rotation of the said body. The body 17 is provided at its top with an outstanding, circumscribing flange 22 which rests upon the upper side of the body 6 of i the member l. While the member 16 is rotatably adjustable in the opening 18 in the member 4, it may be held against rotation by means of a set screw 23 which is threaded radially through the member preferably at the side thereof opposite the pivotally connected side and is adapted to be tightened to bind against the outer surface of the body 17 of the base member 16.

The base member 16 is formed centrally with an opening or socket 24 which receives the shank 25 of a last supportingmember 26, this member being in turn provided with a socket 27 to receive the shank or tang of a last indicated by the reference letter L. The member 26 is provided at the upper end of its shank 25 with a shoulder 28 adapted to rest upon the upper side of the body 17 of the member 16 and thus provide for a firm seating of the member 26 upon the member 16.

In order that the shoe being lasted, may be held firmly in place upon the last, and the parts otherwise held against displacement, a holding strap 29 is provided and is adapted to be engaged over the sole of a shoe fitted onto the last L. This strap is provided with a buckle 31 whereby it may be adjusted as to length, and the strap is looped and has its upper portion engaged over the last L, the side stretches of the strap passing downwardly through slots 32 formed in the member 16 at opposite sides of the opening or socket 24 in said member. A snap hook or other suitable connection 33 is provided at the lower portion of the strap 29 and is adapted to be engaged or connected with one end of a tension spring 34, the other end of this spring being connected, as at 35, with some fixed part so that the spring will exert a constant tension upon the strap 29. At this point it will be understood that the spring 3 1 causes the strap 29 to exert a binding action upon the shoe fitted to the last L and that the shoe will thus be retained in place upon the last. However, inasmuch as the side stretches of the strap are passed through the openings or slots 32 formed in the member 16, this member may be rotated within the opening in the member 4, without interference by the said strap, the body 17 of said member 16 being preferably formed with vertically extending grooves or channels 36 in its diametrically opposite sides and communicating at their upper ends with the slots 32 so as to accommodate the said side stretches of the strap.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be evident that the device may be adjusted to assume the full line position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, in which position the last will be supported in an upright manner, as for example, during the operation of nailing on the sole of the shoe. While the parts are in this position, the member 16 may be rotatably adjusted to correspondingly suitably adjust the last and, if desired, after the parts have been brought to the desired position of adjustment, they may be secured against displacement by tightening the set screw 23. When it is desired to perform some other task, such for example as sewing or trimming the shoe, the member at may be swung upwardly upon the pivot 11, assuming substantially the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. lVhile in this tilted position, the supporting base may be rotatably adjusted by loosening the nut 14 so as to swing the'last about from side to side, as illustrated in Figures 3 and a of the drawings, until it assumes the desired position of adjustment, whereupon, if it is desired to hold the parts in the position of adjustment, the nut 14. may again be tightened. While the supporting base is in any position of angularadjustment the member 16 of the base may be rotatably adjusted so as to position the last at any desired angle, and it may then, if desired, be secured by tightening the set screw 23. It will now be evident that the last supporting means embodying the invention is capable of practically a universal adjustment sothat the last may be caused to assume practically any desired position of adjustment. found most suitable by the workman.

In that form of the invention shown in Figure 7 of the drawings the base member 16 and last supporting member 26 are integrally formed and the said parts are preferably reinforced by integral wings which are indicated by the numeral 37.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a support having an opening therein, of a shoemakers last support comprising an attaching member rotatably mounted upon said support for adjustment, means for holding the same at adjustment, a base pivotally connected with the attaching member and having a boss to seat within said opening within the support when the base is in the lowered position, the base being movable upon its pivot to assume a tilted supporting position, and a last supporting member rotatably adj ustably mounted upon the base.

2. The combination with a support having an opening therein, of a shoemakers last support comprising an attaching member rotatably mounted upon the said support adjacent the opening, a base pivotally connected with the attaching member and having a boss, the base being movable upon its pivot to horizontal supporting position resting upon the support and with its boss seating in the said opening and being movable to a tilted supporting position, and a last supporting member rotatably adjustably mounted upon the base.

3. The combination with a support having an opening therein, of a shoemakers last support comprising an attaching member having a threaded shank rotatably mounted through the support adjacent to the opening, a binding nut threaded on to the shank and bearing against the under part of the support to hold the attaching member in positions of rotative adjustment, a base pivotally connected with the attaching member and having a boss, the base being movable upon its pivot to horizontal position resting upon the support and with its boss seating in the said opening, and being movable to a tilted supporting position, and a last supporting member rotatably adj ustably mounted upon the base.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JULIUS C. TOROHIA. [L. s.] 

